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Kyle Teel, C, White Sox: Two things stand out about Teel: he hits the ball hard, and he makes solid contact. His hit tool is evident in his 18-game hitting streak, and his power was on display with the first two-homer game of his career on Thursday for Triple-A Charlotte. The long balls combined to travel 777 feet. The 23-year-old is hitting .284 with an .836 OPS. Teel, one of the pieces acquired in the Garrett Crochet trade with the Red Sox, has been hot all month, and it’ll be intriguing to see what the White Sox do, especially after calling up Edgar Quero earlier this season. Teel isn’t as polished as Quero defensively, but his bat might be too hot to ignore. His presence on the White Sox wouldn’t change the trajectory of the season, as the club is in the midst of another struggling year.

Noble Meyer, RHP, Marlins: It hasn’t been the flashiest start to Meyer’s pro career, but his latest outing may signal a turning point. He delivered his best performance of the season, tossing four scoreless innings while striking out six. The 20-year-old showed improved command and poise, needing just 55 pitches—38 of them strikes—to navigate the outing. His 17% walk rate was among the highest in the minor leagues last season, and this year he has issued 17 walks in 23.2 innings. He’s still working to live up to the high expectations that come with being the 10th pick in the 2023 draft.

Samuel Basallo, C, Orioles: Basallo has been excellent in May. He is hitting .291 with six home runs, adding two more on Thursday night during his second multi-homer game of May for Triple-A Norfolk—both of which traveled over 400 feet. He could be playing his way into a callup, especially with things trending south in Baltimore. The Orioles are 16–32 and recently fired manager Brandon Hyde. Catcher Adley Rutschman is hitting just .213 this season, and Basallo’s dangerous bat might be the spark the Orioles desperately need.

Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF, Royals: The 22-year-old Royals slugger swung a powerful bat in Double-A and wasted no time making noise at the next level. In true Caglianone fashion, he crushed a solo shot on a pitch down the middle Thursday for Triple-A Omaha, launching it 410 feet to right field with a blistering 113.6 mph exit velocity. It’s the kind of loud contact that has come to be expected from Caglianone and it's translating just fine against tougher competition. Through his first week in Triple-A, he is 4-for-13 after hitting.322 with a .947 OPS with nine home runs in Double-A.

Denzel Clarke, OF, Athletics: The A's are calling up outfielder Denzel Clarke, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported late Thursday night. Clarke arrives as the A’s are in the midst of a nine-game losing streak. Their No. 8 prospect brings both upside and energy as they look to turn things around. Clarke was hitting .286/.436/.419 at Triple-A, bouncing back from an April stint on the injured list. He also offers a significant defensive upgrade in center field. The 25-year-old was drafted in the fourth round in 2021, signing for $400,000 out of Cal State Northridge. A's third baseman Gio Urshela was placed on the injured list with a strained hamstring.

Editor’s Picks

5 Pitchers Impressing In The ACL: Jesús Cano details five early standouts as he traverses Arizona, including Argenis Cayama’s early rise. Read more…

Baseball America Helium Pick Of The Day

Each day, we’ll pick a prospect that has our attention.

Mathias LaCombe, RHP, White Sox: LaCombe is 22 years old, which would normally be considered old for the ACL. But he’s not your typical, freshly-drafted prospect. Originally from France, LaCombe honed his craft overseas before moving to Arizona and pitching at Cochise Community College. His fastball sits comfortably in the mid 90s, and he pairs it with a sinker-slider combo. He experimented with a sweeper during instructs last year. The results have been eye-opening, and his 21 strikeouts are currently tied for the league lead. The White Sox clearly saw something they liked, grabbing LaCombe in the 12th round and signing him for $450,000—money usually reserved for a fifth-rounder.

Quick Hits

Prospect news and notes from around baseball…

• Robert Hassell III picked up two hits in his big league debut. 

• Chase Dollander hit the injured list with forearm tightness.

• Kumar Rocker is expected to begin a rehab assignment Friday with Double-A Frisco, per Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News.

• Luis Peña, one of the season’s early breakout stars, is on the IL with a concussion according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.

• Christian Moore is settling into Triple-A just fine. The Angels prospect is 8-for-13 since his arrival, and homered, doubled and stole two bases on Thursday.

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